Tumor necrosis factor -238A is associated with pediatric-onset generalized pustular psoriasis in Han patients in Eastern China.

The correlation between polymorphisms at the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene and generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) has rarely been reported. The goal of this study is to investigate whether TNF polymorphisms (-238 A/G, -308 A/G, -857C/T) are associated with susceptibility to GPP in a Han population from Eastern China and to perform subgroup analysis to explore the influence of age onset. Polymorphisms were assessed by polymerase chain reaction amplification and resequencing in 91 GPP patients and 102 healthy controls. The frequencies of the TNF -238A allele and GA+AA genotypes were significantly higher in GPP patients than in those of healthy controls. The subgroup analysis revealed that these significant associations were still present between -238A variants and pediatric-onset GPP patients who developed GPP at less than 18 years old (PGPP), but not for patients with adult-onset GPP who developed GPP at 18 years old or more. There were no significant differences in genotype or allele frequencies of TNF -308 A/G and -857C/T polymorphisms between GPP and controls. In conclusion, individuals carrying TNF -238A may be more susceptible to PGPP.